Card driving mechanism



Dec. 4, 1956 J. o. JEFFERY 2,772,579

CARD DRIVING MECHANISM Filed April 9, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 James 0.Jeffery INVENTOR.

BY W-5e;

Dec. 4, 1956 J. 0. J

EFFERY 2,772,579

CARD DRIVING MECHANISM Filed April 9, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 /0 F I g. 2.

"F 40 QM m 2238 /42 3a 124 Q 206 Fig. 7

NZ ZN James 0. Jeffery INVENTOR.

Dec. 4, 1956 Filed April 9, 1952 J. O. JEFFERY CARD DRIVING MECHANISM 4Sheets-Sheet. 3

in BY James 0. Jeffery INVENTOR.

United States Patent CARD DRIVING MECHANISM James 0. Jeffery, NorthVassalboro, Maine, assignor of one-half to Harvey E. Gagne, Winslow,Maine Application April 9, 1952, Serial No. 281,359

Claims. (c1. 74-665) This invention comprises novel and usefulimprovements in a card driving mechanism and more specifically pertainsto a gearing assembly for conveniently and compactly connecting a powersource such as an electric motor to the cylinder of a carding machine inan improved manner.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a gearing assemblywhereby the individual cylinders or pair of cylinders of a cardingmachine, commonly referred to as the first, second and third breakers ofthe same may be connected to independent power sources in an improvedand compact manner in contrast with the conventional and wellestablished practice 'of connecting such carding cylinders to a commoncounter-shaft or power-shaft.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a connectingand gearing mechanism as set forth in the foregoing object which shallbe readily adaptable to be applied to different sizes of cardingcylinders.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gearing assembly anddriving mechanism in accordance with the foregoing objects which shallhave improved means for taking up slack or wear in the gearing assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a driving mechanismconforming with the foregoing objects which shall not interfere with thereverse rotation of the carding cylinders from a separate power sourceto effect reclothing of the cylinders.

And a final important object of the invention as specifically enumeratedherein, resides in the provision of a driving and gearing mechanismconnecting separate power sources to the individual cylinders or sets ofcylinders of a carding machine which shall be capable of convenient andeasy mounting adjacent the existing frame work of a carding machine; andwhich shall be compactly and conveniently mounted in the customary oravailable passageway or aisles between batteries of such machines.

These, together with various and ancillary features and objects of theinvention, which will later become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodimentwhich has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a typical carding machine lay-out showing apair of carding machines disposed in parallel relation on opposite sidesof a passageway or aisle, each such carding machine having first, secondand third breakers or carding cylinders together with the driving meansof this mechanism applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of one of the carding cylinders andits driving mechanism applied thereto in accordance with this invention,this view being taken from the aisle or passageway between the cardingmachines;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the other end of. the cardingmachine, taken substantially in the direction of the arrow 3 of Figure 1and showing the positive driving connection between the cylinder shaftsof the first "ice and second breakers or carding cylinders for operatingthe same from a single or common power source;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the driving mechanism of Figure2, being taken from the left end of the same;

Figure 5 is a central longitudinal sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane of the section line 5--5 of Figure 6 and showing upon anenlarged scale the interior of the gear casing of the reduction gearingassembly forming a part of the driving mechanism shown in Figure 2; I

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken upon an enlargedscale substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 7--7 ofFigure 2 and showing the construction of one of the idler sprockets ofthe driving mechanism;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional detailed view taken substantially uponthe plane indicated by the section line 88 of Figure 7 and showingfurther details of the idle sprocket;

Figure 9 is a vertical transverse sectional detailed view take upon alarge. scale, of one of the driving sprockets forming a part of thegearing mechanism of this invention; and,

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional detail view of the driving sprocket,taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 1010 ofFigure9.

The present conventional carding rooms include a plurality of cardingmachines disposed in rows which are in parallel relation on oppositesides of passageways or aisles, in the manner indicated in Figure 1,with just sufiicient spacing being allowed between the machines onopposite sides of the aisle to permit access to the same. Customarily,each of the carding machines receives its power from either an overheadcounter. or power shaft; or by means of belt drives from thefloor below.Both of these arrangements give rise to numerous and well understooddisadvantages in the operation of the machinery of the carding room. Itis generally considered to be desirable to provide a separate source ofpower for. each of the carding machines; or for certain of the cardingcylinders or breakers of the same. Heretofore however this desideratumhas been impractical since all known driving mechanisms have requiredsuch space that the same cannot be readily accommodated in the pasagewaybetween the conventional placing of the carding machines, thus renderingimpractical or impossible the application of the same to the cardingmachines with the conventional floor arrangement.

it is therefore the essential and fundamental purpose of this inventionto provide individual driving mechanism for carding machines which maybe readily applied to conventional and existing machines and within thelimited space available in present installations in a carding room.

Reference is now made more specifically to the accompanying drawings,wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the variousviews.

Referring first to Figure 1, it will be seen that there has beendisclosed a conventional arrangement of carding machines in a cardingroom, there being shown two carding machines disposed on opposite sidesof an aisle or passageway. Each machine may be of any conventional andwell known design, the same including first, second and thirdbreakersfor carding cylinders indicated respectively by the numerals 10, 12 and14. As men'- tioned above, these carding cylinders may be of any knownor conventional construction, and also of any of the conventional sizes,the mechanism illustrated being specifically adapted to cardingcylinders of sixty inches in diameter, although the principles of thisinvention and the mechanism are not limited to this particular size.

An electric motor 16 is associated with either of the carding cylindersor 12, being connected thereto by the transmission or gearing assemblyindicated generally by the numeral 18 which forms the subject matter ofthis invention. It is preferred to use the motor 16 to drive the firstand second breakers 1t and 12, while a similar motor 29 is connected byanother of the trans mission assemblies 18 with the third cardingcylinder or breaker 14 of the carding machine. It is of courseunderstood that the motor 16 will be of the requisite size to supply thenecessary power for operating the carding cylinders or breakersassociated therewith, and this invention is therefor not limited to anyparticular type or size of motor. The particular gearing assemblyillustrated however, is intended to receive its power from a motor ofapproximately 900 R. P. M., and a mercury clutch 22 of any conventionalconstruction is interposed between the driving shaft of the motor andthe power input shaft of the gearing assembly 18.

It should be specifically noted that the gearing assembly to behereinafter described together with the motor connected with the same isof very narrow width,

so as to extend to a minimum extent into the aisle or passageway betweenthe two carding machines.

Each of the carding cylinders or breakers is provided with a cylinderaxle or shaft 24 which rotatably supports the cylinder and serves todrive the same.

It will thus be apparent that the motor 16 and the gearing assembly 18is directly connected to the axle or shaft 24 of the first cardingcylinder or breaker 10 for directly driving the same, while the shaft oraxle of the second breaker or cylinder 12 is positively connected to anddriven by the shaft of the first cylinder 10 from the outside end ofthese shafts in a positive manner. This positive connection, as will bemore readily apparent from Figure 3, consists of a pair of sprocketgears 26 secured to each of the cylinder shafts 24 upon the end of thoseshafts which is remote from the passageway or aisle, and a sprocketchain 28 is entrained over these sprockets to establish a positivedriving connection therebetween. By means of a suitable supporting stand30 a sprocket chain idler and tensioner 32 is positioned to bear againstthe sprocket chain.

The third breaker or carding cylinder 14 is directly driven by its motor12 through the associated mechanism 18.

Reference is made now more specifically to Figure 2 for a clearerunderstanding of the manner in which each of the motors, 16 or 20 andits gearing assembly 18 is associated with the cylinder shaft or axle24. Mounted upon a suitable supporting platform which is designatedgenerally by the numeral 34 and which is disposed in the aisle orpassageway in close juxtaposition to the associated carding machine isthe motor 16 or 20 which is drivingly connected to a reduction gearcasing 36 of a construction to be subsequently set forth, and

which is operatively connected to the carding cylinder shaft 24. Asillustrated, the armature or shaft 38 of the motor is connected to apower input shaft 40 of the reduction gear casing 36 by the heretoforementioned mercury clutch 22. It is of course understood that in place ofthe clutch 22 any other type of overrunning clutch desired may beutilized, it being necessary for the purpose of this invention merelythat a one-way or overrunning clutch be utilized. The power input shaft40-is connected by a gearing assembly within the reduction gear casing36 to a pair of co-axial and alined power output shafts 42 and 44 whichare oppositely rotating, and which by means of a driving sprocket chainand driving sprockets in a manner hereinafter to be more specificallyset forth, are connected with the driven sprocket gear 46 fixedlysecured to the carding cylinder shaft 24 for actuating the same.

The power output shaft 44 is journaled in an outboard bearing 48 mountedupon a standard 50, and extends through the same with an extendingportion 52 which is adapted to be connected with a second electric motor(not shown) by mens of which the carding cylinder may be reverselydriven through the gearing assembly 18, when it is desired to reclothethe same in accordance with the usual practice. During this reversemovement, the carding cylinder will be rotated in the reverse direction,while the one Way or overrunning clutch 22 will disengage shaft 40 fromthe motor shaft 38.

Speed reduction. gear assembly Attention is next directed morespecifically to Figures 5 and 6 for an explanation of the gearingassembly in the speed reduction gear casing36. Through this gearingassembly, the normal speed of rotation of the motor 16 and 29 is reducedfrom.900 R. P. M. of the motor armature shaft 38 to about 76 R. P. M. ofthe carding cylinder axles 24. The casing 36 preferably is provided witha pair of end walls 54 and 56 which are separated by a partition wall 58which thus divides the interior of the easing into a pair of chambers 60and 62. The power input shaft 440 is journaled in the end wall 56 and inthe partition wall 58 by an anti-friction bearing assembly 64 and 66respectively, and is provided with a driving gear 68 which iscontinuously in mesh with a driven gear 70 secured to a counter shaft 72whose extremities are journaled in anti-friction .bearing assemblies 74and '76 in the end wall 56 and the partition wall 58-1'espcctively.Likewise secured upon the countershaft 72 is a smaller driving gear 78which is continuously in mesh with a larger driven gear 80 carried bythe power output shaft 42 previously mentioned, which is mounted in theend wall 56 and in the partition wall 58 by anti-friction bearingassemblies 82 and 84 respectively, and which extends beyond thepartition wall 58 into the casing 62 and has its extremity journaledinto an anti-friction bearing assembly 86 positioned in a dependingbearing web 88.

Between the partition 58 and the bearing web 88, the output shaft 42 isprovided with a smaller driving gear 90 which is constantly in mesh withan idler gear 92 carried by the lay shaft 94 whose extremities arejournaled in anti-friction bearing assemblies 96 and 98 respectivelypositioned in the partition 58 and in the web 88. The idler gear'92 isin turnv in mesh with a driven gear 100 carried by the counter shaft 102whose extremities are journaled in the anti-friction bearing assemblies104 and 166 which are respectively supported by the partition wall 58and the end wall 54.

Finally, there is fixedly secured to the counter shaft 102 a drivinggear 168 which is constantly in engagement with a driven gear carriedupon the power output shaft 44 which is journaled in anti-frictionbearing assemblies 112 and 114 carried by the web 88 and the end wall54.

The gearing is such that the output shaft 42 turns in the same directionof rotation as the input shaft 40, while the alined output shaft 44turns in the opposite direction from the input shaft 40. The two outputshafts 42 and 4-4 thus turn in reverse directions for a purpose whichwill be subsequently apparent.

As shown most clearly in Figure 5, the end walls 54 and 56 are providedwith cover plates 116 and 118 respectively which serve to retain theanti-friction bearing assemblies 114, 106, 82, 74 and 64 in theirhearing seats. As shown especially in Figure 2, the reduction gearcasing 36 is further provided with a lubricant filling opening 120having a filling plug 122 therein, and a closed bottom wall is providedwith a drain plug 124. It is to be understood that the gears within thecasing 361 may be ofanydesired character, spiral or helical being foundto be satisfactory and being illustrated in Figure 5. Similarly, anydesired anti-friction bearing elements may be utilized in the gearcasing.

Referring especially to Figure 6, it will be seen that the partitionmember 58 is provided with a flat vertical face to which a closuremember or plate 128 is removably secured as by fastening bolts 130. Theadjacent sur; faces of the partition 58 and the plate 128 are providedwith semi-cylindrical recesses for receiving the above mentionedanti-friction bearings 84, 76 and 66 of the shafts 42, 72 and 40respectively, this construction thus provides a ready means forremovably securing the shafts and bearings. A similar construction maybe provided for securing the other shafts and their journal bearings.

Sprocket chain drive assembly As shown more clearly in Figure 2, thepower takeoff shafts 42 and 44 are provided with driving sprocket gearswhich are of identical construction, and hence are both designatedgenerally by the numeral 132. As shown in Figure 9, these sprocket gearsare non-rotatably secured to the power shafts 42 or 44 as by keys 134and key-ways 136. It will be observed that the two sprocket gears 132rotate in opposite directions in accordance with the reversed rotationsof the output shafts 42 and 44 as above mentioned.

A pair of idler sprocket gears which likewise are of identicalconstruction are each indicated by the numeral 138 and are mounted uponthe reduction gear casing 36 as set forth hereinafter, the idlersprockets being illusT trated in Figure 7. An endless sprocket drivechain 140 is provided, this chain, as will be apparent from Figures 1,2, 4 and 6, being entrained over the pair of driving sprockets 132, overthe pair of idler sprockets 138, and over the driving sprocket 46 of thecarding cylinder 10 or 14. It will thus be apparent that the oppositelyrotating driving sprockets 132 serve to rotate the driven gear 46 with apositive non-slipping drive.

Inasmuch as it is desirable that the driving mechanism as hereinbeforeset forth shall be applicable to diflierent sizes of carding cylinders,and shall be applicable to different sizes of gears 46, adjusting meansare provided which will facilitate the adjusting of the slack or tensionin the sprocket driving chain 140 as well as for taking up wear and thelike in the chain.

For this purpose, the idler sprockets 138 are mounted in a manner whichwill permit independent vertical and horizontal adjustment of eachsprocket. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the vertical wall 142 of the gearreduc-. tion casing 36 which may be removeably secured thereto as byfastening bolts 144, is provided with a vertically extending rib 146whose outer vertical surface is serrated or toothed in the manner shownin Figure 6. A supporting bracket 148 is provided for each of the ribs146, this bracket having a shank portion 150 having a serrated ortoothed surface which is complementary to that of the rib 146 and isadapted to be adjustably and lockingly secured thereto. For thispurpose, the shank 150 is longitudinally slotted as at 152, see Figure2, and fastening bolts 154 extend through this slot and serve to lockand secure the shank 150 of the bracket 148 upon the serrated surface ofthe rib 146 in vertically adjusted position.

The upper portion of the bracket 148 has an upstanding standard 156,which at its upper end is provided with a horizontally extending crossarm member 158 which is longitudinally and horizontally slotted as at160. Mounted upon the top of the gear casing 36 and adjacent thestandard 156 is an upstanding support bracket 162 to which is adjustablysecured the shank portion 164 of a supporting bracket 166 as by a locknut 168. At its upper end, the bracket 166 is provided with ahorizontally and laterally extending portion 170 which is in everyrespect similar to the portion 158 of the bracket 6 156. In addition,the members 164 and 162 may be ad'- justably locked in engagement witheach other by serrated surfaces in the same manner as the members 146and previously described.

As shown in Figure 7, the idler sprocket 138 is journaled upon asprocket axle 172 which may be in the form of a bolt extending throughthe horizontal adjusting slots in the portions 158 and 170, being lockedin adjusted position as by locking nuts 174 upon its opposite screwthreaded extremities. By this means, it will be apparent that thesprocket gear may be vertically adjusted by raising or lowering thebracket members 148 and 164 upon their supports 146 and 162respectively; while the sprockets may be adjusted laterally in ahorizontal plane by moving the axles 172 in the slots of the bracketportions 158, and in the corresponding horizontal slots in the bracketportions 170. By this means, it is evident that the tension and theslack of the sprocket drive chain 140 may be readily varied and adjustedas desired, each of these sprocket gears having the same adjustablesupporting brackets.

Driving and idler sprocket gear construction Attention is now directedto Figures 9 and 10 for an explanation of the construction of thedriving sprocket gears. The sprocket gears 132 include a hub portion 176having a key-way receiving the above mentioned key 134, and to which isremoveably and adjustably secured as by fastening bolt 178, the diskportion of the gear. As will be seen by reference to Figure 4, the bolts178 extending through apertures in the disk portion 180 of the gear arereceived in circumferentially extending slots 182 in the hub 176 of thegear. By this means, the gear disk 180 may be angularly adjusted andlocked in adjusted position with respect to the power out-put shafts 42or 44.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the periphery of the sprocket gear disk180 is provided with circumferentially spaced pockets or recesses 184,disposed between the sprocket gear teeth 186, and cushioning elements188 in the form of sponge rubber or other cushioning and yieldablematerial is disposed in these pockets. The sprocket chain 140 willengage the sprocket teeth 186 as shown in Figure 10, but the links willrest against the cushioning material 188 in order to cushion theengagement of the sprocket chain with the sprocket driving gears.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, it will be seen that the idlersprockets 138 preferably consist of a pair of complementary annulardisks 190 and 192, secured together as by fastening bolts 194, and beingattached to hub plates 196, 198 as by fastening bolts 200. These hubplates embrace anti-friction bearing members 202 by means of which thehub and consequently the idler sprocket gears are rotatably journaledupon the idler sprocket shaft 172, suitable spacing sleeves or collars204 being interposed between the hubs and the gear support bracketportions 158 and 170.

Complementary channel members 206 and 208 are disposed in theperipheries of the sections 190 and 192, and a cushioning member in theform of a leather ring or the like 210 is disposed in this channel toreceive and cushion the sprocket chain 140.

It will thus be apparent that the sprocket chain yieldingly engagesdriving and idler sprocket gears in a manner to absorb shock and deadenthe noise of the moving parts.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications and changes will occur to thoseskilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to theexact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitablemodifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within thescope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is-claimed' as new is:

1. A card driving mechanism for a carding cylinder having a driven gearcomprising: a pair of idler gears having axles parallelto the axis ofthe driven-gear, apair of driving gears having axles alined with eachother and perpendicular to the idler gear axles, a drive c'hainentrained over all of saidgears, a power shaft parallel to said drivinggear axles, connecting means between said power shaft and said drivinggear axles, resilient means in said driving gears for cushioningcontactwith said drive chain.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said connect: ing means comprisesgearing. causing rotation of said driving gear axles in oppositedirections.

3. The combination of claim 1, includingmeans for adjusting said idlersindependently both vertically and horizontally.

4. The combination. of claim 1 including means for 8 angularlyadjustingsaid= driving, gears upon their axles;

5.'.The combination of claim 1 including-an overrunning clutch in saidconnectingmeans, additional means for driving one'of said axle's of thedriving gears in a reverse direction of rotation;

References Cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS812,703 Truitt Feb. 13, 1906 2,574,580 McKay et'al Nov. 13, 1951 FOREIGNPATENTS 317,934 Great Britain Aug. 29, 1929 356,649 Italy Feb. 7, 1938517,316 Great Britain 0 J an. 26, 1940 910,515 France June 11, 1946

